Nelson Motta
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Brasília – Yesterday president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, in a traditional ceremony at the Palácio do Planalto, met and congratulated 43 recently promoted general officers from the Army, Air Force and Navy.

In a speech at the ceremony, minister of Defense, Waldir Pires, declared that he was certain "The Brazilian nation, civil society, our children, our young people, our senior citizens, all know they can count on the Armed Forces in the construction of a decent, free and just country that we all want so much."

Translation: Allen Bennett